Nigeria: Creation Of NNPC Limited Will Mark A Turning Point For Nigeria’s Oil & Gas Industry-Agunbiade“We have the demographics, the people. 210 million doing 5,000mw on a daily basis shows you that there’s a lot to be done. We have had misalignments, but that doesn’t take away the fact that the opportunities are still there and investors like Transcorp is taking another power plant. “They just sealed that deal a few weeks ago. Let’s be mindful of the representation we make. We should be mindful,” he cautioned. Earlier, the APGC chief executive said that 2021 could be worse for the power sector because there was nothing on the ground to point to that will markedly transform the power sector. “The situation has not been different from 2013 to date. It has been seven years of gloomy annual losses to the Gencos. Some of the investors have told me they regret investing in the Nigerian power sector. “It’s as if the power sector is cursed. I am quoting one of the investors. One of them called me and poured out his heart, how painful it is to invest in this sector. “For the Gencos, it’s not just 2020 that’s gloomy. From 2013 till date has been gloomy. In 2020, we have Covid-19 to blame, but for Gencos from 2013 to 2019, what did we blame it on? There was no Covid-19 for six years. It’s a seven-year gloomy anniversary. “We are not even sure 2021 will be a bright year because there’s nothing on the ground to show that 2021 is going to be better. That’s how bad it is,” she lamented.
Nigeria: Gencos Misrepresenting State of Power Sector-NERC
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has accused power Generation Companies (Gencos) of willfully painting a gloomy picture of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), despite some remarkable progress in the last few years.
Speaking during an online forum, tagged: “The Power Dialogue,” organised by the Nigeria Electricity Hub, Commissioner, Legal, Licensing and Compliance, NERC, Mr. Dafe Akpeneye, noted that a number of investors were still angling to come into the sector despite the current constraints.
Akpeneye was reacting to a statement by the Executive Secretary, Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), the umbrella body of all the Gencos, positing that members of the association are currently regretting investing in the sector since 2013 when the sector was privatised.
During the heated argument, the NERC chief said that the Gencos misrepresented facts when they said that in the last seven years, the sector had been backward with nothing to show by the power generators.
Akpeneye expressed shock at the Gencos’ representative’s comments, stressing that opportunities abound in the sector, which prompted Transcorp Power to recently acquire Afam Power in a deal that was sealed a few weeks ago.
“I am surprised with her (Ogaji’s) comments. As people who work in a sector that is, even though tiered, highly integrated, we should be careful with the message we give to the Nigerian public.
“Let’s be mindful that in this same sector that you are saying is gloomy, Transcorp which invested in the Ughelli plant just bought Afam in the midst of all the constraints and issues we are facing.
“There are Gencos that are waiting to still come on stream. The QIPP is still trying to come on board. Anyone can rebut me if I am wrong, but we have the largest power market in Africa,” he posited.
According to the NERC official, to say that it is all gloom and doom for the sector in the last seven years is a gross misrepresentation of facts.
GE Calls For Accelerated Deployment Of Renewables & Gas Power To Drive Impactful, Faster Decarbonisation
Building on its commitment to carbon neutrality in its operations by 2030 and announced intention to exit the new-build coal power market, GE (GE) today shared its position that the accelerated and strategic deployment of both renewable energy and gas power can make substantial progress in combatting climate change in the near-term, while securing a path to a lower-carbon emitting world in the future.
In a newly published paper expanding on its decades-long commitment to decarbonization titled “Accelerated Growth of Renewables and Gas Power Can Rapidly Change the Trajectory on Climate Change,” GE said neither power source will be sufficient alone; however, deployed in tandem, they can provide decarbonization at the pace and scale needed to help achieve substantial climate goals.
In addition, the paper outlines multiple technical pathways for gas power to achieve a lower-carbon generating footprint through the use of low and zero-carbon fuels—including hydrogen—as well as carbon capture utilization and sequestration (CCUS) technologies.
“Addressing climate change is an urgent global priority and one that we think we can do a better job of accelerating progress on—starting now—not decades from now,” said Scott Strazik, CEO of GE Gas Power. “We believe there are critical and meaningful roles for both gas power and renewable sources of energy to play, advancing global progress faster today with coal-to-gas switching while continuing to develop multiple pathways for low-to-zero carbon gas technologies in the future.”
To help meet urgent climate goals while at the same time increasing power demand across the globe, the report details the merits of gas-fired generation as a complement to support and accelerate renewable energy penetration:
• Gas is reliable, inexpensive, and doesn’t require a lot of land; the ideal complement to renewable energy.
• While renewable power is variable, gas power is dispatchable, dependable and flexible, available as much as 90% of the time.
• The near-term impact of coal-to-gas switching represents a fast and effective win for emissions reduction in many regions around the world. For example, since 2007, power sector CO2 emissions in the United States have dropped by about one third while total electricity generation has remained fairly constant. The CO2 emissions reduction attributed to coal-to-gas switching was greater than that from any other fuel source.
The position paper released today provides technology and market overviews of several sources of power generation including renewables, gas, coal and nuclear as well as technology breakthroughs needed to make battery storage more cost-competitive.
Ghana Gets 1000kW Floating Solar On Bui Dam Reservoir (Video)“With more than 125 years of experience across the electricity industry, GE is well-positioned alongside our customers to continue to lead the way and drive the future of energy,” said Vic Abate, GE Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer and former CEO of both GE’s Gas Power and Renewables businesses. “We’re prioritizing investment in technologies to cost-effectively scale renewables and to move toward net zero gas power with advances in hydrogen and carbon capture technologies. Together, the combination of renewables and gas can help lead an energy transition that enables us to achieve greater carbon emissions reductions faster compared to renewables alone.” GE Renewable Energy is continuing to invest in technology innovations that are driving down the cost of renewable energy, a key driver of the industry’s continued growth as noted in the whitepaper. The company recently announced that its Haliade-X offshore wind turbine, the most powerful turbine in operation today, will be uprated to 13 MW as part of the first two phases of the Dogger Bank offshore wind farm in the UK. GE’s gas turbine portfolio is built on an 80-year gas turbine technology heritage that is unparalleled in the power generation industry and GE’s HA gas turbine—the world’s most efficient gas turbine and fastest-growing fleet—has established several industry-firsts and secured two world records. GE also offers the industry’s most experienced gas turbine fleet in hydrogen and similar low-BTU fuel operations, with more than six million operating hours in decades of use across more than 75 gas turbines. GE continues to invest in research and development into hydrogen and carbon capture technologies in close partnership with GE’s Global Research Center—to help further advance a low or near-zero carbon footprint for gas power. GE’s Gas Power business has also signed several major customer strategic decarbonization programs including agreements with Uniper (https://invent.ge/34xuTnE) and the Long Ridge Energy Center (https://invent.ge/3rim6jh) in 2020. GE is pursuing multiple decarbonization pilot projects with customers throughout 2021 and 2022 for both hydrogen-fueled projects and carbon capture and sequestration technologies. Finally, GE Gas Power today announced it has joined the Carbon Capture Coalition, a nonpartisan collaboration of more than 80 businesses and organizations building federal policy support for economy-wide deployment of carbon capture, transport, use, removal and storage. Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: ECG Must Resolve Pre-paid Challenges Quickly-IES
Energy think tank, Institute for Energy Security (IES), has charged Ghana’s southern electricity distribution company, ECG, to take immediate steps to resolve what it described as widespread challenges being experienced by its pre-paid customers.
In a statement issued and copied to energynewsafrica.com on Monday, December 21, 2020, IES noted that the more a customer buys power to be used, the more the customer owes the ECG, resulting in many homes and workplaces being disconnected.
The statement wondered whether it is the case that these customers, who have pre-financed the use of electricity at a later time, are having their electricity credits being converted to debits.
“In many cases, these pre-paid customers are being slapped with outrageous bills for electricity not consumed. They are compelled to pay for these unwarranted bills before they can be credited with any new power purchases and have electricity supplied,” IES alleged.
At this point, it takes field technicians of the ECG to go to homes and other outlets to reset meters before power can be restored. Many a time, it takes hours and days to have customers attended to and power restored.
“These challenges are cropping up at a time when the need for reliable and consistent power supply is paramount. During this season, the need for power is vital for purposes of security, productivity, events and more importantly, the Christmas and New Year when families will stay at home.”
The IES called on the Minister for Energy to, as a matter of urgency, direct the ECG to fix these challenges which are greatly inconveniencing legitimate customers of the ECG.
Managing Director of ECG, Mr Kwame Agyeman-Budu, reacting to the claims, admitted that the system is experiencing some communication challenges.
According to him, he personally experienced the same challenges when he purchased electricity credit.
In view of that, he said his outfit had informed the pre-paid meter vendor and is working to rectify the anomaly.
He urged consumers to exercise patience, saying the system would be restored to ensure that no-one is shortchanged.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
China’s Top Refiner Sees Oil Product Demand Peak By 2025
China’s largest refiner, Sinopec, expects domestic demand for oil products to peak by 2025 due to COVID impacts and the rise of electric vehicles, Argus has reported, citing Sinopec’s research think-tank as saying in its annual report.
“China’s oil products will enter a final growth phase before peaking in the next five years,” the Economics and Development Research Institute (EDRI) at Sinopec said, as carried by Argus.
According to the research institute, gasoline demand in China will likely peak in 2025, while demand for diesel could peak as soon as next year.
In 2020, Chinese oil product demand is seen down by 7 percent annually, EDRI said, as the pandemic cut consumption in China first.
Crude oil throughput at Chinese refineries, on the other hand, are expected to remain flat year over year in 2020, at around 13.4 million barrels per day (bpd), the think-tank forecasts.
Despite the expected imminent peak in domestic demand for oil products, refinery capacity in China is set to jump to nearly 20 million bpd by 2025, up from an estimated 17.83 million bpd in 2020, Sinopec’s forecasts cited by Argus showed.
China is already on track to surpass the United States as the world’s biggest oil refiner next year or the year after. Last year, refiners added some 1 million bpd to existing capacity, and there is another 1.4 million bpd of capacity under construction.
The new refinery capacity set to come online in China within the next five years will increase the oil product surplus in the country and lead to 30-percent growth in Chinese exports of refined petroleum products in 2025 compared to 2021, according to EDRI.
Surging Chinese oil product exports are set to put pressure on refiners elsewhere in Asia as the global refining industry is struggling with overcapacity. Refiners around the world have been announcing permanent closures of refinery capacity this year after the pandemic crushed fuel demand worldwide, and significant overcapacity still remains, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said last month.
Source: Oilprice.com
Nigeria: Oil Marketers Still Sell Fuel At N170 Per Litre Despite Reduction
Fuel consumers in Nigeria are still paying N170 per litre at the various filling stations despite the Federal Government’s decision to slash the price of the commodity to N162.44.
The Chairman of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), who also doubles as Managing Director of 11 Plc, Adetunji Oyebanji, reportedly told Vanguard, a local media outlet, that the reduction was not in the best interest of the downstream sector.
“We are completely in the dark as to how the price was arrived at, what the components are and other details that operators in the industry are expected to know and make meaningful business decisions.
“This uncertainty and policy somersaults would not augur well for the industry. We acknowledge that the times are hard but we need to think of the long-term sustainability of the industry. Without this investment, growth and new jobs would be a mirage. If my cost does not allow the reduction, we would not reduce the price. It can only work if marketers have finished their old stocks,’’ Osatuyi is quoted as saying.
“The government said it had deregulated. So, it is not possible to sell petrol at N162. If you ask anybody now in the industry, they will tell you the price at which they can sell is about N170 to N180,’’ he stated.
The Minister for Labour does not have the power to determine the price of petrol. Even the President can only do that if we go back to subsidy.”
The price cut was agreed at a recent meeting between the organised labour, including the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Federal Government.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria: Panic As Petrol Tanker Explodes In Ibadan
A petrol tanker loaded with an unspecified volume of fuel has exploded in Nigeria causing heavy vehicular traffic in the West African nation.
The explosion occurred at the Iyaganku area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
According to media report, the tanker fell close to a petrol station on Friday, afternoon and eventually exploded, thereby causing panic among road users and residents of the area.
There were no casualties.
Roads leading to the scene of the explosion were said to have been cordoned off causing gridlock along the Dugbe, Ring Road, and Iyaganku areas in the state capital.
An eyewitness, who identified himself as Suraj Adewale, said the tanker fell around 12noon but it eventually caught fire about two hours later.
The Oyo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Uche Chukwura, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on the telephone.
The sector commander said, “A tanker fell this afternoon and it eventually caught fire. Our men are there to control the traffic.”
Ghana: Fuel Prices To Remain Stable For Rest Of December
The Institute for Energy Security (IES) has predicted that fuel prices on the Ghanaian market will remain stable from now to the end of 2020.
The International Benchmark, Brent crude, sold at U.S$51.15 on Friday December 18, 2020, while WTI is trading at U.S$48.10.
According to IES, data analysed by its Economic Desk from the Foreign Exchange (Forex) market showed that the Ghanaian cedi lost its stability marginally against the U.S. dollar by 0.52 percent, trading at an average price of GH¢5.79 to the U.S. dollar over the period.
A statement issued by IES for the second pricing window said owing to the 7.06 percent increase in prices of International Benchmark- Brent crude, the 7.5 percent increase in prices of gasoline, the 9.3 percent increase in gasoline prices and the 0.52 percent decline of the local currency against the U.S. dollar, it foresees fuel on the domestic market remaining stable as “we go into the 2020 end of year festivities.”
REVIEW OF DECEMBER FIRST PRICING-WINDOW
Local Fuel Market Performance
For the period under review, fuel prices remained largely stable. Prices of petroleum products within the first Pricing-window of December 2020 saw majority of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) maintaining prices of Gasoline and Gasoil at the pump with some few of them increasing their prices in response to international developments. The current national average price of fuel per litre at the pump is pegged at GH₵ 4.57
For this Pricing-window, Zen Petroleum, Benab Oil, Petrosol and Frimps Oil sold the lowest price per litre of Gasoline and Gasoil at the pump according to IES Market-Scan.
World Oil Market
Brent crude price within the period experienced an increase of 7.06% in average price with the commodity being sold at $48.82 per barrel mark from the previous window’s average price of $45.49 per barrel mark. The increase in the average price of the commodity over the period is as a result of the strong demand for oil in Asia particularly. Also, the approval of vaccines against the pandemic in UK and Canada and other jurisdictions sent Brent Crude prices above the $50 mark. On Thursday, 10th December 2020, Brent closed trading at $50.25, the highest since the early days of March this year.
Finished products prices as monitored on Standard and Poor’s global Platts platform showed commensurate increases in the prices of Gasoline and Gasoil on the global fuel market within the period. Gasoline saw a 7.5% increase in prices closing the period at $415.32 per metric tonne from an earlier price of $385.27 per metric tonne. Gasoil prices also appreciated by 9.3% closing trading at the end of the period at $396.68 per metric tonne from a previous price of $362.89 per metric tonne.
Local Forex
Data analysed by the IES Economic Desk from the Foreign Exchange (Forex) market shows the Cedi lost its stability marginally against the U.S. Dollar by 0.52% trading at an average price of Gh¢5.79 to the U.S. Dollar over the period.
PROJECTIONS FOR DECEMBER 2020 SECOND PRICING-WINDOW
Owing to the 7.06% increase in prices of International Benchmark- Brent crude, the 7.5% increase in prices of Gasoline, the 9.3% increase in Gasoline prices and the 0.52% decline of the local currency against the U.S. Dollar; the Institute for Energy Security (IES) projects prices of fuel on the domestic market remaining stable as we go into the 2020 end of year festivities.
Signed:
Fritz Moses
Research Analyst, IES
Africa Must Support Minister Diamantino To Succeed As OPEC President
The election of Angola to the rotating presidency of the conference of ministers of OPEC has thrust Minister Diamantino Pedro Azevedo, Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas of Angola to the forefront of efforts to stabilize global oil markets in 2021.
The assumption of the Presidency of OPEC by H.E Diamantino could not have come at a more defining period for the organization and the global economy at large.
It comes at a time, when the world is hoping to turn the corner away from a COVID-19 pandemic that has had a devastating effect on the global oil market and the global economy throughout 2020.
Average Brent oil prices for 2020, currently stand at approximately USD 49, compared to U.SD 64 in 2019 and U.SD 71 in 2018 per barrel. The 31% drop on average from last year in the price of oil per barrel, represents a significant challenge for all OPEC members, especially those, whose revenues are heavily dependent on the oil sector like Angola.
Despite COVID-19, multiple lockdowns and the resulting drop in economic activity globally, being primarily responsible for the significant drop in oil prices, the Russo-Saudi oil price war of March 2020 was certainly also a major source of market instability.
The task at OPEC, of ensuring, that global oil markets stabilize in 2021 and lead to a recovery in global prices has now fallen on the shoulders of Diamantino, who has built a reputation in recent years of being an effective manager and enforcer of reform of Angola’s oil and gas sector.
“We are very confident, that Minister Diamantino will employ the same fervor, that he used to reform Angola’s oil sector, when steering OPEC towards achieving much needed global oil market stability,” said Sergio Pugliese, President of the African Energy Chamber in Angola.
“Price and market stability is good for OPEC’s members and for the Angola too”, Mr. Pugliese continued.
Despite OPEC’s quota of global daily oil production dipping to below 50% of global output in recent years, especially due to the significant increase in shale production in the United States of America, the organization continues to hold major sway, with its OPEC+ alliance.
The OPEC+ alliance consist of the 13 OPEC members and 10 of the world’s major non-OPEC oil-exporting nations, who have come together with the sole aim of ensuring market stability and maximum revenue returns for oil producing countries.
Similar to many other oil producing nations in OPEC, Angola’s economic growth for 2020 will be negative.
The World Bank’s forecast currently stands at negative 4%. It is therefore in Angola and Africa’s interest, for the African Energy sector to give Minister Diamantino all the necessary backing and support, to ensure that oil markets stabilize and lead to a steady increase in prices in 2021. This will lead to a direct increase in government’s revenue and its ability to deliver on much needed jobs for Angola’s youth.
Fifty years since its foundation, OPEC continues to have challenges that hamper its effective operation. The growth in unconventional oil production through recent technological advancements is one such challenge.
In 2009, after a nearly forty-year decline in U.S. crude oil production, shale and sand-based oil extraction helped ramp up output. New technologies have allowed American producers to tap into previously trapped oil at decreasing cost, leading the United States to become the world’s largest oil producer in recent years. A decade later, U.S. production levels are almost double, which has taken OPEC by surprise.
Spending In Africa’s Upstream Sector Down By US$14 Billon, Assets Value Hit By US$200 Billion FallThe increase of oil production by non-OPEC members like the U.S, reduces the ability of Angola and other OPEC members to push for higher oil prices. Pressure from western lobby groups to Fast-track decarbonisation and kill the oil industry globally under the guise of saving the planet is another such threat, which will demand a coordinated response from oil producers. In the absence of OPEC, and the coordination amongst its members, countries like Angola are likely to suffer more from the diktat of the market. One does not have to look far, to see how the absence of an organization like OPEC has led to African coffee producers being left at the mercy of global coffee markets. Angola, once a major coffee producer and exporter, with a total output of 230,000 tons has seen its coffee growing industry nearly disappear. Angola currently produces just over 8,000 tons of coffee per year. Given the importance of Agriculture as a job creator, it would have helped Angola, had the coffee industry had an organization like OPEC to protect its interests. The Angolan and African energy sector must support Minister Diamantino through his tenure, to ensure market stability in 2021. It is in Africa’s interest, and it is good for job creation in Angola. As we reflect on these points, we should perhaps remind some of the dissenting voices of the old and wise African proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,’’ said the President of the African Energy Chamber in Angola.
Madagascar: African Development Bank Approves US$43 Million Loan To Finance Phase II Of Power Transmission Project
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank has approved a loan of UA 30 million ($42.9) million to finance the second phase of a major power transmission and interconnection project in Madagascar.
The Power Transmission Network Reinforcement and Interconnection Project in Madagascar (PRIRTEM-II) include the construction of a 135-km, 220 kV interconnection line between the capital Antananarivo and the central industrial city of Antsirabé.
The project will help to feed the power generated by the Sahofika Hydropower Plant into the national grid, supplying some 8 million people with affordable, clean energy.
The financing comprises a loan of UA 20 million ($28.6 million) from the African Development Fund (ADF), the concessional lending window of the Bank, and a loan of UA 10 million ($14.3 million) from Pillar 1 of the
Transition Support Facility (TSF), the Bank’s financing mechanism for fragile and transition countries.
The second phase of the project also includes the electrification of 19 villages in the Soanindrariny, Ambohidranandriana, Ambatomena and Ambohimiarivo municipal councils of central Madagascar, a country which, despite having huge renewable energy potential, has an electricity access rate of only 15% nationally and 6% in rural areas.
Ghana: Government Loses Over $150 Million To Transmission Losses In A Decade (Article)The Bank’s country manager in Madagascar, Mohamed Cherif, said the project demonstrates the Bank’s commitment to increasing access to clean and low-cost energy. This, in turn, is expected to lead to the emergence of new economic opportunities, the development of industrialization, increased business competitiveness and job creation on the Indian Ocean island. As the sector’s lead donor, the Bank is already actively engaged in several transformative energy projects in Madagascar, including PRIRTEM-I and the Sahofika plant, both intricately linked to PRIRTEM-II. The project is aligned with the Bank’s Country Strategy Paper (CSP) 2017-2021 for Madagascar, which focuses on the development of energy and transport infrastructure to support the country’s inclusive growth, as well as with the National Energy Policy (NPE). The project is also in line with the Bank’s New Deal on Energy for Africa 2016-2025, as well as its High-5 priorities “Light up and Power Africa” and “Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa.” Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
Baker Hughes Launches EngageSubsea For Remote Inspections
Baker Hughes has launched engageSubsea remote – an extension of the engageSubsea platform for remote inspections, and offshore operational and technical support.
EngageSubsea remote serves as an equipment inspection tool, technical support and operational management platform, and is designed to drive operational excellence and increase capital productivity for offshore oil and gas operators, according to Baker Hughes.
Providing access to real-time information on equipment status and location enables users to manage equipment portfolio more effectively and efficiently by increasing safety and reducing time and cost.
EngageSubsea remote has already been proven in live deployments, including customer sites in the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS), offshore operations and Baker Hughes services facilities around the globe.
These deployments saw time to first-time fix improve by 80%, while resolution time improved by 69%, with an overage cost savings of 50%. As a result of reduced travel and site visits, carbon emissions were also reduced by 22%, according to Baker Hughes.
OTC 2021 Event Postponed Until AugustThe platform can be used in any location, both onshore and offshore, even with a low bandwidth connection. From the live status of offshore activity planning, to remote management of asset maintenance and sustainability management, engageSubsea remote has been designed to improve all aspects of an operator’s inspection process. It is further used to support offshore operations and allows remote support and technical support when required. Ben Linke, Vice President of Services and Offshore, Oilfield Equipment at Baker Hughes, said: “We understand our customers’ challenges. This sector is under constant pressure to improve performance and reduce costs, but of course safety must always remain the top priority. “That’s why we developed engageSubsea remote, which is especially valuable in the current environment where travel and site visits are restricted, but inspection work remains critical, engageSubsea can help to bridge that gap while also improving operator efficiency and lowering their carbon footprint. “Ultimately, this solution is about optimizing offshore operations and reducing unnecessary exposure to risk – whether the pre-existing hazards of offshore work or the current pandemic”. Operators are under increasing pressure to cut costs, reduce rig time and downtime, while improving efficiency and ensuring the continued safety of their operations. COVID-19 has significantly magnified this pressure by tightening budgets further, while limiting travel and site visits during lockdown. Baker Hughes recognizes these challenges and has developed engageSubsea remote in response.
Kenya:Tullow, Africa Oil Get Extension For Kenya Project
Tullow Oil and its joint venture partner Africa Oil have secured licence extensions from Kenya to continue exploration and production activities in South Lokichar until 2021.
The licence extensions mean the joint venture partners can now reassess the Project Oil Kenya and design an economic project at low oil prices while retaining the phased development concept.
It will also allow Tullow, Total and Africa Oil, to reconsider plans for the development.
Tullow Oil has been undertaking a six-month review of the viability of its operations in Kenya after a planned sale of its stake in the project fell through.
Tullow Makes US $575 Million From Sale Of Ugandan Assets To TotalThe Joint Venture partners will in the coming months work closely with the government on land and water agreements, gaining approval of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessments and finalising the commercial framework for the project. The successful completion will enable the submission of Field Development Plans to the government. Kenya’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum recently granted the company an extension for their 10BB/13T blocks exploration licences after approving its work programme and budget for the next year. Rahul Dhir, Tullow Oil CEO said Kenya held a substantial resource, but there were many development challenges particularly low prices. “I would like to thank the Government of Kenya for granting this extension which the Joint Venture partners will use to fully re-assess the development concept for this important project,’’ he said.
Tunisia: JICA Supports Tunisian Gov’t To Produce 3500MW Of Power From Renewable Energies
The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has launched a study in the renewable energy sector in the North African country, Tunisia.
The initiative is part of the cooperation between Japan and the Tunisian government in the renewable energy sector.
Relying mainly on solar and wind energy, the North African country intends to produce the equivalent of 3,500 megawatts (MW) in ten years.
The study aims at a detailed examination of the potential impacts and issues related to a massive integration of electricity produced from renewable sources.
It also aims to find appropriate solutions for each issue.
This study programme “represents an excellent opportunity for JICA’s main partner Steg (the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company, editor’s note). This is to immerse themselves in the best practices developed in Japan in this field. It is also an opportunity to take advantage of the technology transfer planned during the implementation of activities under the programme,” says JICA.
The study programme will continue until the end of 2021. It follows on from the visit that JICA experts made to Tunisia from 15 to 24 July 2019, with the aim of identifying the potential for cooperation in the renewable energy sector.
Japan is keen to put its rich experience in renewable energy at the service of Tunisia’s energy ambitions.
Relatively lagging behind the countries of its region, Tunisia intends to catch up. The North African country which still only produces 3 % of its electricity from renewable sources wants to increase this share to 30 % by 2030.
That is to say 3500 MW of power in 10 years.
Marking its choice for solar and wind power, Tunisia has launched four calls for tender in the space of three years, for the realisation of electricity production projects from these sources.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: GOIL Supports Renovation Of Police Hospital Executive Wing
Ghana’s leading indigenous Oil Marketing Company, GOIL Company Limited (GOIL), has assisted the Ghana Police Service financially to refurbish the executive ward of the Police Hospital in Accra to a modern ward status.
The four-bed capacity ward, with a nursing station, is now well-equipped with an office.
The first phase of the renovation project, initiated in 2019 by the Medical Director, Dr. Marian Tetteh-Koboe, involved the refurbishment of the walkway.
The second phase of the renovation project, which began three months ago, took care of the ward.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
REPP Injects £1 Million Into Smart Battery Rental Business Targeting Off-grid CustomersIn a brief remark at the commissioning of the renovated facility, the Managing Director & Group Chief Executive Officer of GOIL, Kwame Osei-Prempeh indicated that the company would continue to support such worthy cause as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility mandate. The Medical Director of the Police Hospital, Dr Marian Tetteh-Koboe commended GOIL for its support and explained that the facility would benefit both service personnel and general public. In attendance at the commissioning of the facility were the Director General Technical of the Ghana Police Service, Samuel Monnie, who represented the IGP, and DCOP Ebenezer Ewusi Emmin, Deputy Medical Director of the Hospital. Others were the Administrator of the Hospital, DCOP David Eklu, and the Director of Nursing Services of the Hospital, Chief Superintendent Juliana Adjeiwaa Darteh.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Kasoa Bulk Supply Point Project Is 40% Complete
Works on the ongoing 435MVA Gas Insulated Switchgear Bulk Supply Point at Kasoa in Central Region in the Republic of Ghana is progressing speedily.
The project is currently about 40 percent complete, Senior Project Manager, Mawunyo Rubson told energynewsafrica.com in a telephone interview.
When energynewsafrica.com visited the site recently, workers were seen busily working to ensure that the contractor met the completion date.
The US$42.3 million Kasoa BSP is being executed by German electrical company with Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) being the implementing agency and it is being funded by Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) under the Ghana Power Compact II.
The project, which began in January 2020, is expected to be completed by July 2021.
The Kasoa BSP, when completed, would be the second largest BSP in the country, after the Pokuase BSP, which is currently under construction.
The project would, among other things, reduce the transmission and distribution system losses suffered by GRIDCo and ECG respectively, and would ultimately improve the operational and financial performance of the utility providers.
It would, further, improve power supply in Kasoa and its surrounding communities in the Central Region with about 250,000 customers of ECG expected to be served.
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com